Disclaimer: I don't own anything that's recognizable in this story.

Chapter Nine

Lucius grinned as he stepped foreword towards Hermione. Pushing his son out of the way, Lucius was nose to nose with her, his piercing blue eyes looking into hers.

"So, Mudblood, we meet again," Lucius growled.

"Unfortunately," Hermione responded coldly.

"My, my, are we rebellious," he said.

"You call that rebellious? Then you have seen nothing yet, Lucius."

Lucius began pacing around the room, pulling his wand out and stroking it and randomly waving it in front of him, causing green sparks to come out of the wand. Turning back around to face Hermione, he grinned maliciously.

"So why are you here, Granger? Obviously not for a cocktail party, we don't invite people like you over," Lucius said.

Hermione lifted her chin defiantly. "Why does it matter whether I'm here or not? Your son invited me here, and you should respect what your son does."

"Because he did it without asking me. Probably thought it would be funny to bring a Mudblood home and see how she would react," Lucius said.

"Father, that's not true at all!" Draco yelled.

Lucius whirled around to face his son. "You shut up, Draco. You brought this brat here and now you have to watch her suffer for what you have done."

Draco glanced at Hermione as if to say do something. Hermione nodded slightly as if to say she understood and Draco looked back at his father. Hermione quietly walked behind Lucius with her wand pulled out and ready.

"Not if I can help it," Hermione pulled out her wand, ready in case Lucius tried anything.

Lucius laughed maliciously. "Just try to have a go at me, Granger. They say you are a great Auror, but I haven't seen anything yet."

Hermione gritted her teeth. If that's the way he wanted to play, then that's the way he was going to play. She lifted her wand trying to think of what to do. There were so many, yet…she wasn't strong enough to do this. Sweat rolled down her face.

"Accio—" she began.

Suddenly, before she could react, Lucius lifted up his wand and said something that she didn't recognize. A flash of light and Hermione fell to the floor and knew no more.

"Harry, where have you been all of this time?" Dumbledore stood behind hid desk gazing down at Harry through his half-moon spectacles.

Harry squirmed uncomfortably. He didn't want to talk about that just yet.

"I've had business to tend to, professor." Harry wished that Dumbledore would get on with it as fast as he could so that he, Harry could go and find Hermione and perhaps Ron if things didn't go too bad.

Dumbledore looked at Harry quietly. He knew there was something that the boy wasn't telling him, but he didn't push if further. It didn't do any good to extract whatever it was from him now.

"Professor…I think something bad has happened to Hermione. She left this morning without saying where she was going. And Ron's been gone, too, but Hermione never found him," Harry picked his words carefully.

"Hermione was supposed to see me today…that's why I called her apartments to see where she was and I ended up talking to you."

"Professor…I think I know where Hermione is. If you'd just let me go find her and Ron, then maybe—"

"I cannot risk you getting hurt, Harry. We thought you died the first time, and we cannot risk you really getting killed for real this time, do you understand?" Dumbledore asked.

"But, Professor—" Harry began.

"Now in just a few moments, I'll have Professor McGonagall come up and escort you to a room. Until then, you will stay here until you are needed," Dumbledore exclaimed, his eyes warning Harry not to argue.

Harry sighed and nodded, pulling out the chair in front of Dumbledore's desk and sitting down. If Dumbledore wanted it this way, he will have it. But as far as Harry knew, he was going to get out of Hogwarts as fast as he could. He wasn't going to let Hermione and Ron die because of an old man's misinterpretations. Dumbledore already proved that one once.

"As you wish, Professor. I will wait here if you wish it to be so," Harry said listlessly.

Dumbledore nodded and gave a slow smile. "I am only trying to do what is best, Harry, you know that. These are bad times as you already know."

Harry nodded, cracking a small smile. "I understand, professor. I'm just worried about both of my friends, that's all. Surely you understand that," Harry said.

Dumbledore said nothing, but Harry could have sworn he saw a small twinkle in the man's eyes. With a slight bow of the head, Dumbledore swept out of the room and was gone.

Author's Note: Sorry it has taken me forever and a day to update, but the last couple months of school have been hectic and I haven't had time to write too much for But now the first week of summer vacation's over with and ACT's and school done, I can probably write some more. So please forgive me and bear me more patience. Hope you continue to enjoy reading this story and I'll continue writing.